Friday, May 01, 2009

The Masonic Society: Happy 1st Birthday

A year ago, I was flat on my back in the hospital having a goiter the size of a Plymouth Belvedere sawed out of my chest. It seemed like just the right time to announce the formation of a new research society dedicated to Freemasonry. Yes, to answer your question, I was on drugs.

Fortunately, the rest of the brethren involved were not.

In the year that has followed, The Masonic Society has grown from zero to almost 800 members from around the world.

Annual membership is just $39. Our magazine, The Journal, has been very well received, and it has fulfilled our promise that it wouldn't look or feel like any other publication in the marketplace (Yes, it's been late. Yes, that's been my fault. Yes, we are back on track.) The best Masonic authors from around the world have contributed to its contents, and we have been well supported by our advertisers. Our membership patent is hand sealed, and among the most beautiful documents you'll ever receive. Our private discussion forum is a community of brethren who freely (and respectfully) share their knowledge and camaraderie. Our first annual meeting in Alexandria, Virginia at Masonic Week was a roaring success. Our semi-annual meeting is coming up in October.

Many, many thanks to those brethren who signed on board with us based on nothing but a website and a promise, and to all of the members and fellows who have pulled together to make The Masonic Society an outstanding success. We said from the beginning that we were not just selling a subscription to a magazine, but that we wanted to create a community of friends and brothers. We believe we have created a valuable balance of knowledge, friendship and fun. We think you'll agree.

That can't just be done from "the top down." Our members have achieved that.

ATTENTION!Kindly sign your comment posts. Anonymous postings on Masonic topics have the same status as cowans and eavesdroppers, as far as I am concerned, and may be deleted if I don't recognize you or if I'm in a grumpy mood.

Freemasonry is...

Freemasonry is the world's largest, oldest and best-known gentleman's fraternity. It is based on the medieval stonemason guilds who built the great castles and cathedrals of Europe. Modern Freemasons use the tools, traditions and terminology of those stonemasons as allegories for building temples in the hearts of men. It's said that we are a secret society. We do indeed have secrets—secrets that each individual man has to discover for and about himself. At its core, Freemasonry is simply an attempt to make the world a better place, one man at a time. For that man, it can become as simple or as complicated as he himself desires. It's not for everybody. Maybe it's for you.

"Brother Chris Hodapp's [blog]...is thought provoking and is often the first place on the web where new ideas and matters of interest are posted."

He spent twenty three years in advertising as a commercial filmmaker for Dean Crow Productions, shooting and editing close to 1,000 commercials, music videos and feature films. He has written scripts for corporate and non-profit clients, and his voice has appeared in many television and radio commercials.

Chris has attended Indiana University, the University of Southern California, Los Angeles Valley College, California State University at Northridge, and Indiana/Purdue University at Indianapolis.

As a Freemason, he is a Past Master of Broad Ripple Lodge #643 and of Lodge Vitruvian #767, Free & Accepted Masons of the State of Indiana. He is an honorary member of Vincennes Lodge No. 1, Plymouth-Kilwinning Lodge #149, Ancient Landmarks Lodge #319, Garfield Lodge #569, and Logan Lodge #575 in Indiana, African Lodge #459, Prince Hall Affiliation, in Boston, Massachusetts, and the Grand Lodge of New Mexico AF&AM.

He was the editor and a contributor to "Laudable Pursuit: A 21st Century Response to Dwight Smith"by the Knights of the North, a Masonic leadership think-tank. He has written for Indianapolis Monthly, Masonic Magazine, Templar History, the Scottish Rite Journal, the Knight Templar Magazine, the Indiana Freemason , the Phylaxis, and many other publications.

He has appeared on the History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic, and the American Heroes Channel. Hodapp and Von Kannon also developed episode outlines for the History Channel program, Brad Meltzer's Decoded in 2010, and Chris contributed material on conspiracies and secret societies for TruTV.

His most recent book, "Deciphering the Lost Symbol," was published in 2009.

He and Alice live in Indianapolis with their very French poodle, Wiley.

I am a Freemason and a member of the regular, recognized Grand Lodge of Indiana F&AM. However, unless otherwise attributed, the opinions expressed in this blog are my own, or of others expressing theirs by posting comments. I do not in any way represent the official positions of my lodges or Grand Lodge, or the fraternity of Freemasonry as a whole.

Be aware that no one person may speak on behalf of Freemasonry or present their opinion as being the "official" position of the fraternity, unless it is a grand master, and then, only within his own jurisdiction. While Freemasonry is a global fraternal organization, there is no single, authoritative, administrative Masonic body or figurehead anywhere in the world.

The unauthorized appearance of content from this site, in whole or in part, in links, aggregators, forums, comments or other websites does not express or imply an endorsement by the author.

If you are a Freemason and are lifting material from this website without attribution, shame on you.